I'll Take Care of You
by ExplicitMoxViolence
Summary: Part one: Renee wakes up in the middle of the night to find Jon in a bad way. The results cause Jon to come to a big realisation. Part two: With two kids now, Jon knows it's his turn to take care of Renee.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** **Anything you recognise, including characters, belong to their respective owners.** **This is a work of fiction and does not represent reality, please treat it as such.**

 **I'll Take Care of You**

 **-x-**

 _If you let me, here's what I'll do  
I'll take care of you  
_

Renee rolled onto her back, awoken by the unusual chill on her skin. Opening one eye, she glanced over at the digital clock on the nightstand. 4am. Why was she awake?

Reaching out, she discovered the reason. Her fingertips danced across the sheets where his big body was notably missing, still slightly warm which told her he hadn't been gone too long.

Squinting against the dark room, she sat up. It wasn't often he was out of bed before her, especially considering he was always achy in the mornings, but on occasion he was up watching his Apple TV when he couldn't sleep.

Glancing around, she saw that wasn't the case. A tiny slither of light was visible from the way the bathroom door was cracked.

"Jon?" she called in a hushed voice.

She clambered out of the bed, wrapping her arms around herself against the cold of the bedroom. She crept towards the door and tried calling for him again. When she got no reply, she pushed it gently. If he was using the bathroom, it wasn't a big deal, they had no boundaries any more.

She wasn't prepared for the sight before her though. Shielding her eyes against the fluorescently bright lighting, she found him asleep on the floor. At least she hoped he was asleep...

That thought frightened her and she crouched before him, putting a hand on his clammy forehead.

"Jon...wake up" she called to him, brushing the damp curls from his face. He was hot, his skin pale and sickly looking. The sight of him that way, coupled with his lack of response sent panic through her. Standing, she rushed into the bedroom to grab her phone.

Getting ready to dial for an ambulance, she tried one last time to rouse him. Wetting one of her muslin cloths she used to take off her make-up, she pressed it to the back of his neck.

With a low moan, his eyes finally opened.

Tossing her phone on the floor, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jesus Jon, don't scare me like that"

He blinked back at her, seemingly disorientated before diving for the toilet and throwing up.

Concern evident all over her face, Renee rubbed the top of his back as he emptied the contents of his stomach. It didn't take long to put two and two together, realising that he must have come in here to be sick and fallen asleep on the floor.

When he eventually calmed down, she passed him a cup of water to wash his mouth out with and grabbed the hem of his damp shirt, pulling it up and over his head. He was still far too warm for her liking, moisture making his sallow skin shine.

"Go get in bed" she ran her fingers through his hair. "I'll clean up in here and grab you a bowl in case you need to be sick again"

She watched him carefully as he hauled himself to his feet shakily and stumbled back into the bedroom, staying close in case he got dizzy. She wasn't sure if she could do much with his more than two hundred pound frame but it eased her mind to be nearby.

Satisfied that he was safely in bed, she retreated to the bathroom and cleaned up, grabbing a bowl for him and another cup of water. Setting them down on his nightstand, she headed downstairs, wishing she'd taken the time to put some socks on as the tile floor on her bare feet made her shiver. She'd spent enough time in his home now to know where everything was and she took a breakfast bowl from the cupboard and half filled it with ice cubes from his freezer, the ones he liked to keep his beer in. Filling the bowl to the top with water, she grabbed some medicine to bring his temperature down and carried them both up to him.

Jon never got sick. Never. He always joked he had an immune system of steel and she believed it. It was always her sniffling and whining about being under the weather. Now he was sick and she could see that it may not happen often, but when he did get ill, it hit him _hard_.

Dipping the cloth in the icy water, she draped it across his forehead. He flinched at the cold, trying to cocoon himself in the duvet. Renee knew she had to be cruel to be kind and pulled the blankets from his grasp, throwing them onto the floor. She got a whine in response.

"I know sweetheart, but you're burning up..." she whispered, feeling terrible for denying him any comfort when he was clearly feeling so poorly. The cloth on his head was already warm, his body heat quickly neutralising the cold. She took it off, dipping it back in the icy water and dabbed at his neck and chest with it. He shivered, his face scrunched up in discomfort.

Kissing his cheek, she pressed two pills into his palm and helped him sit up.

"Take these, they'll bring your fever down" she gave him some water to wash them down with.

"Thanks" he spoke for the first time since she woke up. His throat sounded sore and scratchy and she pouted, cupping his cheek and rubbing her thumb back and forth over his stubbly skin.

"Do you want me to call an emergency out-of-hours doctor or something?" she asked, sitting down on the bed beside him and wringing out the cloth again.

He shook his head. "I'm okay"

If she wasn't so worried about him, she'd have laughed at his bare-faced lie. He took the pills she offered and swallowed them dry.

"Go back to sleep" he mumbled. "You have to be up early"

"I will" she assured him, pressing a tissue to his runny nose. "I just want to make sure you're okay first"

"Thanks mom" he managed a joke.

"I'm not your mom, but I plan to baby you like a mom" she smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Love you" he mumbled, propping himself up with pillows and lying back gingerly.

"Love you more" she kissed his temple. "Wake me up if you feel that bad again okay?"

He nodded unconvincingly and she sighed, settling down on the now bare bed. She was cold but the heat emanating from Jon reminded her why it was necessary. He needed to cool down; she was surprised he wasn't delirious at that temperature.

 **\- x -**

She awoke to the sounds of retching and quickly clambered off the bed and into the bathroom.

Kneeling beside him on the hard floor, she pushed his hair back, watching the way his knuckles turned white gripping the seat of the toilet.

"I told you to wake me up" she sighed, massaging his head.

She didn't expect a reply and she didn't get one. He kept his head down, breathing erratically.

Reaching over, she turned on the taps of his big bath tub and made sure the water was running warm enough to be comfortable, but not hot enough to increase his fever.

He slumped back against the cabinets, wiping a hand over his face.

While the bath filled, Renee set about cleaning up. She opened a window and tracked down the few cleaning supplies he had in his home.

"Nae...don't..." he tried to protest as she started mopping up the mess on the floor. "I'll do it..."

"Jon..." she levelled him with a look that said 'don't even try it'. "You're in no state to clean anything and it's just a bit of vomit, I've cleaned up worse trust me" she stroked his head.

Helping him up, she pulled his underwear down his strong thighs and he stepped out of them. While seeing his body in all its glory always took her breath away, she wasn't thinking about anything other than making him feel better. He sank into the tub with a groan, immersing himself in the warm water as it soothed him.

"Lean back, I'll wash your hair" she kissed the back of his neck. Normally, he'd laugh at the suggestion. He only ever let her play with his hair after sex, when he was sleepy and compliant. As a result, she took full advantage as he dipped his head under the water.

Renee put a dollop of her favourite shampoo in her palm. It smelled like strawberries and vanilla, the scent making her sigh contentedly as she rubbed it into his soft hair. She massaged his head at the same time, letting her fingers work their way down his neck and across his shoulders.

He let out a groan, arching his back. "You're so good to me" he mumbled in appreciation.

"Of course I am" she nuzzled his damp skin. "You know why?"

"Because you love me"

"I do" she smiled, tipping his head back so she could rinse the shampoo out for him.

"I'm a lucky man"

Renee smiled brightly, craning her neck to kiss him.

"You really wanna do that?" he asked, reminding her that he had just vomited all over the place.

"Good point" she laughed, pressing her lips to the tip of his nose instead.

She continued massaging his neck and shoulders for a while, feeling his body going increasingly lax under her touch.

"Not fair that I'm the only one naked" he raised a brow when she stopped, moving around the tub to the front of him.

"Someone's feeling better all of a sudden" she smiled at his cheeky little grin. It was nice to see some colour in his face and the light back in his eyes.

"I'm hoping I've come through the worst of it now" he admitted.

"You scared me" she whispered, stroking his head as she perched on the edge of the tub.

"Yeah...sorry. I didn't mean to pass out like that"

"That's alright" she cupped his cheek. "Just glad you're okay"

He kissed her palm.

"I also love how you're letting me pet you like the adorable puppy you are right now"

He scowled. "It's just because I'm exhausted and dehydrated, don't get used to it"

"Well I better make the most of it then" she smiled, holding the sides of his head and running her thumbs under his eyes to catch the moisture beading from his eyelashes.

It was in that moment, staring right into her eyes, that Jon knew. There were moments before, when he'd caught himself thinking about events in the future and picturing Renee there with him through them all. But it was seeing the love and devotion in her eyes as she tirelessly cared for him at the expense of getting any sleep that really hammered the point home.

She'd make an incredible wife.

 **\- x -**

 **Drop me a review if you liked it, I'm happy to take Ambrose-centred one-shot requests so PM me and I'll get back to you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** **Anything you recognise, including characters, belong to their respective owners.** **This is a work of fiction and does not represent reality, please treat it as such.**

 **Author's note: You don't have to read my other one-shots, but this will make more sense if you do!**

 **I'll Take Care of You**

 **-x-**

 _You won't ever have to worry,  
You won't ever have to hide  
And you've seen all my mistakes  
So look me in my eye_

More than four years down the line and Jon was discovering that being a parent had endless advantages. Jon could never have imagined how much he'd enjoy having two gorgeous little people dependent on him and Renee. But one disadvantage was the lack of time he and Renee had for each other. Between being on the road 300 days of the year and doting on Ella and Charlie when he _was_ at home, it was hard to ever get one on one time with his wife. Charlie still wasn't sleeping through the night and more often than not, if they tried to be intimate, they found themselves disturbed.

Jon thought back to his wedding day and smiled to himself...

" _You ready?" Brian, his best man, asked._

" _I've been ready for years" he laughed, adjusting his tie and frowning at his hair in the mirror._

" _I was planning on asking what took you so long to put a ring on it..." his friend chuckled, putting two hands on his shoulders and pushing him into his seat so he could fix his hair._

" _She's my best friend. We were friends before we ever even considered there being romantic feelings there so I guess I didn't want anything to change. Even when we found out she was pregnant. People say it all goes downhill once you get married so if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I've never had a great view of marriage" he shrugged._

" _It's not as bad as they make out" Brian said, giving him a slap on the back._

" _Things were perfect the way they were. But deep down I knew she always dreamed of getting married. A lot of girls have it all planned out from childhood. I felt bad denying her that. She never brought it up but I knew she wanted a wedding. I guess I finally got my head out of my ass when I realised she's the mother of my child now and she deserves her fairytale wedding, even if I'm gonna look uncomfortable as fuck in every photo" he laughed._

 _Watching little Ella tossing flower petals out of her basket as she walked up the aisle towards him brought tears to his eyes. He reached down and scooped her into his arms as all the guests admired how adorable she looked in her pink dress._

 _As Renee made her way down the aisle, arm linked with her dad's, he felt his eyes watering. God she looked incredible. She took his breath away._

 _When she reached him, her dad took Ella from Jon so he could take Renee's hands. He lifted her veil to see her face, and saw that she was crying. He smiled at her, feeling tears in his own eyes._

 _How they made it through their vows, he had no idea but they did and he put the ring on her finger with shaky hands._

 _Their first kiss as husband and wife was chaste, he didn't want to disrespect her parents, but as soon as they had a moment alone, he kissed her properly._

" _You took my breath away" he whispered, holding her at arm's length to see her properly."I just married the most beautiful girl in the world"_

 _She blushed, looking up at him through her lashes. "I know you did this for me and you made me the happiest girl on earth"_

 _He grinned widely at the idea that marrying him made her so happy._

" _You look so handsome" she told him, playing with the buttons on his shirt._

" _I had to make myself presentable for you" he kissed her again, taking care not to smudge her flawless make-up._

 _Joe appeared, Ella looking tearful in his arms._

" _Sorry to interrupt...your baby girl wants her mom and dad" he chuckled, handing her over to Jon._

" _No wedding night celebrations for us" Renee sighed as Joe passed Jon his daughter, tickling Ella until she smiled._

The lack of time for themselves meant that when Ella asked to sleepover with a friend one night, Renee jumped at the chance to have a night with Jon. They enjoyed a relaxed meal, Renee getting dressed up again like she used to before they had children to take care of, before heading out for drinks.

They had a great time, dancing and singing karaoke like they used to on the road. It was well into the night and they were both relaxed and happy.

It was getting towards the end of the night. Jon was just returning from the bathroom when he spotted trouble.

Renee was still sitting at the table he'd left her at, but there was a bearded drunk man hovering next to her. He was leaning on the table, unsteady on his feet. Renee looked uncomfortable and that fact alone made Jon's blood boil. As he approached the table, the man backed up, sneering as he returned to his stool at the bar.

"He bothering you?" Jon asked as Renee sighed in relief when he sat back down.

She didn't say anything and if he wasn't worried before, he certainly was now.

"What did he say to you?" Jon growled. "Renee..." he pushed when she still didn't respond.

"He..." she swallowed hard. "...he asked how much I charge" she looked down at her lap.

Jon stood, ready to fly into a blind rage but she grabbed him by his sleeve, pulling him back onto his seat.

"Please don't...I don't want to cause a scene" she pleaded.

"You look fucking gorgeous" he reminded her, sensing she was ashamed of her outfit after that creep's comment.

"Thank you" she mumbled.

"I really want to knock his teeth down his throat" he said through gritted teeth. No man should make her feel ashamed for wearing a nice dress. No outfit she could ever wear would give anyone the right to degrade his wife like that.

"Just leave it Jon...please...we're having a nice night"

"I think we should go somewhere else then" he suggested wisely, getting up and taking her hand. She followed him to the bar where he got out his wallet to pay their tab. Renee stayed close to him and he put a protective arm around her.

"Can we just go home instead?" she asked quietly. "I just want to cuddle with you"

"Okay beautiful" he agreed, leading the way out of the bar.

They were less than ten seconds out of the door when Jon heard a sound that made him so mad he could have murdered someone.

"Nice ass"

The same man had followed them out of the bar and with an almighty 'thwack', slapped Renee on the backside.

Instinctively, Jon's fist met the man's face with a 'crunch' and the drunk staggered backwards. He still had a sneer on his face though and Jon went to swing again when Renee grabbed his arm.

"Touch her again and I'll break your neck" Jon warned. Renee could tell there was nothing false about the threat. Jon might be a softie since becoming a dad, but she knew he still had that fiery streak. He meant what he said.

"I don't want you to go to jail tonight" Renee whispered, tugging at his sleeve. Turning to look at his wife, Jon could see she was about to cry. She clearly just wanted to get out of there. In a rare moment of rational thinking, he put his wife's feelings before his own.

"You're lucky you're still alive pal" Jon spat on the ground, putting an arm around Renee and leading her to the car.

As soon the car door slammed, she burst into tears. Jon's knuckled turned white with his grip on the steering wheel. He really wanted to comfort her, but he also wanted to show that asshole what happened when he put his hands on his wife and the mother of his children.

He had a hand on the door handle, ready to go back and teach the guy a lesson when Renee reached for him.

"Please Jon...please don't..." she pleaded.

He tore out of the parking lot, knowing he was seconds away from doing something he'd regret. A few miles down the road, he pulled over and pushed his seat back. Pulling Renee onto his lap, he held her as she got the tears out of her system. She didn't cry much so it was always alarming to him when she did.

"Are you upset about what he said?" he asked, stroking her hair as he tried to figure out the cause of her emotion.

"No" she shook her head. "It just hurt..." she whispered, smoothing a hand down the back of her thigh.

Jon could see the handprint from where her dress rode up and it made him feel sick.

"That's assault" he gritted his teeth.

"I just want to go home"

"He ruined the one night we had to ourselves..." he huffed.

"I had a good night...I'm fine, it was just a shock. I wouldn't be fine if you got yourself arrested though. And he's not worth risking that for. Imagine Vince getting wind of it?"

"You're right" he conceded, rubbing her sore backside. "As usual"

Upon arriving home, Jon ordered Renee to get straight into bed. She lay on her front while Jon put a bag of frozen peas on her posterior.

"Thanks for defending my honour" she smiled, able to see the humour in the situation now.

"I'll _always_ defend you" he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.

"I know" she whispered. "Thanks for icing my butt..."

"It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it" he winked.

"You always look after me" she mumbled tiredly.

 **\- x -**

"How's fatherhood treating you?" Colby asked, kicking his feet up as they waited for the show to start.

"Good" Jon smiled sadly, missing his babies.

"Well let me put it this way, I've never seen him smile so much" Joe teased. "Who'd have thought it?"

"They just make me laugh a lot. I never thought having kids would be so much fun" Jon grinned.

"It's fun for you. Poor Renee has to deal with the lack of sleep and tantrums" Joe chuckled.

"Hey! That month I had off when Charlie was born, I did nearly all of the night feeds I'll have you know!"

"I'm only teasing man" Joe ruffled his hair. "It's amazing to see you so settled"

"When's Renee coming back on the road?" Colby asked.

Jon rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know. We talked about it and I think she's really missing work. She was so career-oriented and she had to drop all of it when I knocked her up. It's just hard with two young kids. Charlie's only six months old"

"What if you guys got a bus? Like Cena..." Colby suggested.

"I don't know if we can afford something that extravagant..." Jon sighed.

"Talk to Hunter. You're a hard worker. I'm sure he understands the pains of having young kids in this business..." Joe added.

"Maybe. What about schooling though? El has friends in Vegas, I don't want to drag her away from that"

"I don't know what to suggest" Colby shook his head.

"I don't like the idea of leaving them with anyone, even for two days a week while Nae works. I know she wouldn't like that either"

"Just tell her we're all missing her" Joe smiled, squeezing his brother's shoulder.

"She's coming to the show when we're in Texas next week and bringing El and Charlie so you'll see her then"

"You gonna stay with your sister?" Joe asked.

"Yeah. She hasn't even met Charlie yet and I know she's been dying to. She hasn't seen Ella since she was this high" Jon held his hand about a foot and a half from the floor.

"We'll have to get together this summer. You guys come down to Pensacola like you used to when the whole family gets together. My parents miss you. Bring the kids and Ella can meet Jo Jo"

"Sounds awesome man. How old is Jo now?"

"She's eleven" Joe beamed proudly.

"Fuck, time flies huh? I remember when we met her for the first time. She must have been about El's age then?"

"Yeah she was nearly five when I met you guys"

"Crazy how fast they're growing up" Jon sighed. "When are you and Lina gonna have another baby?"

"Soon I think" Joe ran a hand through his hair. "She wants a big family and I do miss having a baby around"

"I know El is still young but having Charlie reminded me how much I love having a baby" Jon admitted.

"Are you two planning any more?" Colby asked Jon.

Jon laughed. "Not any time soon. When I say I love having a baby, one is more than enough. I'm so glad we waited a while before we had him because he's such a handful"

"Two is a good number anyway. You guys were lucky, a boy and a girl" Colby smiled.

"It's nice right now, it's worked out perfectly. Charlie is really attached to Renee, a total mommy's boy. And Ella is very much a daddy's girl. But if Renee wants more, I doubt I'll say no"

"N'awh, you softie" Joe punched him in the arm.

"I'm getting all broody listening to you two gushing about your kids"

"Better get procreating then" Jon winked. "It's amazing Col. Taking El to her tennis practice and watching her beat all the other kids, it makes you so proud. There's nothing I can compare to how it feels when I come home and she's so excited to see me. You get your own little person who thinks you're a superhero and you can do no wrong. It's fucking awesome. Like, I'm someone's dad. How insane is that?"

"Jesus man, you're making me emotional" Joe laughed.

"If I see you in a couple of weeks and you tell me Lina's pregnant, I'm totally taking credit for it" Jon announced.

"You're taking credit for getting my wife pregnant?" Joe raised a brow.

"I didn't mean for it to come out like that" he laughed.

"That's what he said" Colby exclaimed as the three of them burst into laughter.

 **\- x -**

"Daddy!" Ella screamed, racing down the hallway and launching herself into Jon's arms. She didn't care that she'd deafened every passing superstar and diva. She was just overwhelmed at seeing him for the first time in a week.

Jon caught her mid-jump and hugged her tightly. "Hi princess" he cuddled her, pressing a big kiss to the side of her head.

"Did you miss me daddy?" she asked, her blonde hair fell in natural little ringlets around her shoulders.

"I missed you loads angel" he promised.

"This much?" she held out her arms.

"More"

"This much?" she asked, stretching her arms out as far as they'd go.

"Even more than that" he smiled, tickling her sides, making her squeal happily. Putting her down, he crouched in front of her and took in how absolutely adorable she looked today. Renee had dressed her in a pink and white striped sundress that was longer at the back, a cream little knitted cardigan and the silver sequin high top converse he'd brought her.

"You look beautiful baby" he told her, twisting one of her little curls around his finger.

"You look nice too daddy, I like your shiny belt..."

He smiled, looking down at the championship around his waist.

"Thank you angel" he said as she leaned up to give him a kiss. "Where's your mom?" he asked, taking her hand.

"She's talking to Nikki and Brie" Ella explained, pulling him along the hallway. He tried to ignore the stares he was getting from all his co-workers as he followed her. He understood that watching him with his daughter was probably as alien as watching a dog walk on its hind legs, but he didn't really like the attention on his relationship with his family. He didn't even like being overtly affectionate with Renee when people were staring.

Renee was indeed deep in girly chat with the Bella twins when he approached. She saw him over Nikki's shoulder and a big smile broke out across her face. He couldn't help but return it. She looked drop dead gorgeous, her short blonde hair tousled around her face. She wasn't dressed extravagantly, in a soft grey jersey dress that clung to her body and some sandals, but he always thought she looked most radiant when she was dressed down. From what he could tell, she had barely any make-up on too. Charlie was in his little car seat and Brie was playing peek-a-boo with him.

Renee muttered a quick apology to Nikki before turning her attention to Jon. Ella seemed to understand that her parents wanted a moment and sat down next to her little brother, playing with the little toys attached to the seat.

"Hi beautiful" Jon smiled as Renee wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hello handsome" she returned, reaching up on her tip toes to give him a brief peck on the lips.

Jon hugged her to his chest. Her figure in that dress...damn. As if he wasn't sexually frustrated enough when he was away from her, she had to turn up in an outfit that highlighted the gorgeous curves of her body.

"Where's my little man?" he asked, releasing her so she could unstrap Charlie from his seat and pick him up.

"Hello little guy" he smiled, taking his son from Renee and looking at his little smiling face.

"He's excited to see his dad" Renee cooed.

Charlie was dressed in cute little denim dungarees, his fluffy hair sticking up all over the place. He looked up at Jon with his big blue eyes and kicked his legs happily.

"He's the cutest little thing I've ever seen" Brie said, stroking Charlie's chubby cheek with her finger.

"You have such beautiful children" Nikki agreed, smiling at Renee and Jon.

"Thanks girls" Renee beamed with pride.

"I'll take the kids, you go catch up with everyone" Jon discreetly rested his hand on her backside.

"Are you sure?" she asked him.

"Yeah, go have fun" he kissed her temple. As he pulled away, he whispered in her ear, just out of earshot of the others. "Later"

He knew she'd caught the seductive tone he used and she bit her lower lip. He removed his hand from her ass as she followed the Bella twins off to find Summer.

"C'mon El, you wanna get in the ring?" he asked, crouching down to put Charlie back in his seat and strap him in.

Ella clapped excitedly as Jon carried Charlie's seat in one hand, holding hers in the other.

He got stopped multiple times on his way, mostly by the girls who couldn't resist the sight of a baby.

"Oh Jon! Is this your mini me?" Natalya peered into the car seat.

"Yep, this is Charlie" he said, feeling Ella clinging to his leg. She was such an outgoing child that it took him by surprise when she got all shy.

"He's the spitting image of you" Nattie cooed. "Look at those big blue eyes" she pulled faces at Charlie who was lapping up the attention. "And who's this?" she turned her attention to Ella, who she was also yet to meet.

"This is Gabriella" he told her.

"Those are very snazzy shoes you've got there Gabriella..." Nattie complimented.

"Thank you" came a tiny voice still hiding behind his leg.

"See you later Nat" he called as she went on her way.

 **\- x -**

Jon was really feeling the effects of his match with Colby as he loaded up the car. Renee was strapping Charlie in and rooting around for some juice for Ella who was fussing, while Jon threw the bags in the trunk. He winced, rotating his shoulder in its socket.

"You hurting handsome?" she asked, looking concerned.

"I'm okay" he assured her, winding his arms around her lower back and kissing her properly for the first time in a week.

She didn't look convinced by his answer.

"Take it easy now okay?" she warned. "Have you told Lauren we're on our way?"

"Yeah she knows" he nodded.

"The kids are sleepy so they shouldn't be too much trouble"

"I love you" he whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead. Renee had noticed he was acting a little out of character since the show ended and she suspected it was a mix of tiredness and the emotional toll the day had taken on him. She knew it was a big deal for him to bring his family backstage and seeing the kids when he'd been away always made him all quiet and reflective.

"I love you too" she stroked a hand across his stubble. "You ride shotgun and I'll drive. Just give me directions" she told him, giving him no time to protest.

"Were they good on the airplane?" he asked as they drove down the dark roads to his sister's place.

"Ella slept the whole way" Renee smiled, pulling off the main road at his direction. "Charlie got a bit fussy when we took off, the noises frightened him" she said, looking in the rear view mirror to find him fast asleep now. "But he was okay after that, the ladies on the plane were really helpful"

"Good" he replied, putting his hand over hers as it rested on her lap. "I feel bad that you have to do that stuff on your own" he said quietly.

"Jon..." she protested. "It was a few hours on a flight. I can handle it. If there's ever something I can't handle, you'll be the first to know"

"How's she getting on at preschool?" he asked.

"Fine, she's even drawn you some pictures for you to see when you get home. You haven't missed anything I promise though. You've been away just under a week, not a few months" Renee smiled at him, squeezing his hand.

"Okay" he sighed, turning in his seat to look back at his babies in the back. Ella too had fallen asleep. "They both look like little runway models, have you been shopping again?" he asked with a smile.

"I've had to buy Charlie some new clothes, he's growing like crazy and all his baby stuff is too tight now. But Ella has loads of clothes that my parents keep buying her"

"She looks cute as a button" he smiled.

"She does. She loves her daddy" Renee squeezed his hand again. "Her teachers say she can't stop talking about you"

Jon cheered up quickly after that and they were soon pulling into the driveway of his sister's home.

Renee grabbed Charlie's car seat while Jon slung the diaper bag over his shoulder. Ella was still fast asleep too so he lifted her into his arms. She woke up briefly, long enough to mumble "daddy" before her head lolled onto his shoulder.

Renee went first, knocking the door. Lauren answered it with a big smile and she and Renee shared a kiss on the cheek. Jon wasn't far behind, putting the diaper bag down and hugging his sister as best he could with a sleeping child on his shoulder.

"I'll never get used to you as a parent" she teased him. "You've turned him soft" she told Renee. "Is this my new nephew?" she asked, peering down at Charlie in his seat.

"Oh God, he looks just like you" she laughed, looking at Jon. "Poor kid"

"Fuck you" he chuckled. "He's gonna be a little heartbreaker like his dad"

"Jon..." Renee warned him about swearing around the kids.

"Ella's asleep, she didn't hear" he argued.

"Come in" Lauren invited warmly, helping bring their bags inside. "I made the spare room up for you guys"

"Thank you Lauren" Renee smiled.

"The couch is a pullout too but I don't know if Ella would want to sleep on her own in an unfamiliar house"

"I think she'll want to sleep in our bed" Renee laughed.

"Well this big oaf can always take the couch" Lauren nudged Jon.

"Is this whole trip going to be you bullying me?" he asked with an offended look on his face.

 **\- x -**

Charlie woke up briefly, giving Lauren a chance to play with him while Jon set up the pack n' play for him to sleep in. As he returned to the main room, he smiled at the scene. Lauren and Renee were chatting away. Charlie was in Lauren's lap smiling away and Ella was braiding her hair.

"Look how tall you are now!" Lauren tapped Ella on the nose. "You were only a baby when I last saw you"

"I'm a big girl now" Ella stated matter-of-factly.

"Still my baby" Jon snuck up behind her, ticking her sides as she screamed.

Renee smiled at the sight as Jon peppered kisses all over her cheeks. Charlie started fussing and Renee took him back from Lauren.

"I think it's way past someone's bed time" she smiled. "I'm gonna put him down and then we can have that glass of wine" she winked at Lauren.

"I don't want to go to bed yet" Ella pouted. "Can I stay up with the grownups Auntie Lauren?"

"Hmm, I don't know" Lauren wrinkled her nose. "You'll have to ask your father"

"Daddy can I stay up with you and mommy and Auntie Lauren?"

"Sure you can pudding cup" Jon smirked.

"Yay" Ella clapped.

"Shh princess, your brother's sleeping" Jon put his finger over his lips.

When Renee returned, they settled down on the couch. Lauren sat between Jon and Renee, Ella eventually succumbing to tiredness and crawling into Jon's lap.

The girls were chatting over a glass of wine while Jon watched the hockey.

"She's attached to Jon huh?" Lauren commented, looking between Jon and the little girl fast asleep on him.

"When we're at home, she's really sweet with me" Renee smiled at her baby girl. "But because Jon's away from Friday through Tuesday when he's not working the West coast, when she does see him she's absolutely besotted by him"

They eventually called it a night and Jon carried Ella to bed, settling her in between them. It was a squash, but it would do for tonight. With Charlie fast asleep in his makeshift crib and Ella sleeping soundly with her hands fisted in Jon's shirt, he laced his fingers with Renee's.

"Lauren's lovely" she whispered.

"It's nice that you two get on" he replied softly.

She sighed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I've missed you"

His face softened. It was hard that he couldn't even kiss her without waking Ella, let alone do anything he'd promised earlier.

"I'm sure we can convince Lauren to take the kids out for breakfast or something tomorrow..." he suggested. "Then I can ravish you..."

Renee flushed. "Don't talk like that when we can't do anything about it"

"We're parents now. All the fun stuff gets sacrificed" he chuckled quietly.

She trailed her foot across his shin, relishing in the small contact.

"Don't worry buttercup, soon, I'll take care of you..."

 **Drop me a review if you liked it, I'm happy to take Ambrose-centred one-shot requests so PM me and I'll get back to you!**


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